Monday, August 10, 2026

Congress leaves Washington and hits the campaign trail

School’s out for summer...or something like that for Congress.

After a marathon series of votes Friday evening into Saturday morning, the Senate broke for recess. That comes as the House already broke for it two weeks ago. The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche to be attorney general, passed a stopgap spending bill known as a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown and a bill to sanction Russia named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

As much as House and Senate leadership routinely says that the August recess is not vacation, but rather a “district work period,” it’s hard to shake the idea that Congress has unfinished business. The stopgap funding bill means that the Senate has not crafted the 12 spending bills that are supposed to keep the government open, putting pressure on the most vulnerable incumbent Republican senator: Susan Collins of Maine, the Appropriations Committee chairwoman.

In addition, while the House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which is rife with anti-trans and culture war riders, the Senate has yet to pass its version due to Democrats objecting to the War in Iran.

And unsurprisingly, Senate Republicans have not passed the SAVE America Act, President Donald Trump’s top priority legislation that would not only require identification to vote, but also proof of citizenship when registering. The president has said that Democrats can only win elections by cheating even though there is little evidence of his claims that Democrats rig elections.

The president had suggested that the Senate cancel its August recess, which Senate Majority Leader John Thune roundly swatted down. And when Republican gadflies like Sen. Mike Lee of Utah had the opportunity to object to the Senate adjourning, they did not take it.

But whether it’s a recess, a work period, campaign season for the midterms or something else, don’t expect it to be easy for either side.

All of the members of the House will head home with many hoping they are reelected for another two-year term. A third of the Senate will also be asking voters in November to choose them. That makes this summer prime campaign season in home districts - and the fall’s decision will shape who controls DC for the remainder of Trump’s term.

For Republicans, they are trying to find a way to shake off an unpopular president during the tenth year of him being atop the party during a sluggish economy and an unpopular war. Democrats, for their part, want figure out who they are ahead of the midterm, but also to craft a winning message for 2028.

Read more here. 

By Eric Garcia

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